Drop Ping-Pong Balls on People With This iPhone-Controlled Copter

10-26-2012 • http://www.wired.com, By Christina Bonnington

The iStrike Shuttle has a vertically oriented body and includes a gyroscope for steady flying. The ping-pong ordinance isn’t just for pelting coworkers. You can write notes with a wipeable marker (included) for a sort of ball-based messaging system in your home or office. Think of it like a mechanical carrier pigeon.

The free iOS app that lets you control the iStrike Shuttle has different operation modes for left-handed and right-handed folk. You navigate the little drone by sliding your finger across the screen.

Dream Cheeky, the company behind the iStrike, has been working on this gadget for the past 18 months. The money from its Kickstarter campaign — the company was just over 10 percent of the way toward its $30,000 goal as of Thursday — will go toward paying component costs, completing the company’s utility application on the device, and continuing development on its app.